MILLSBORO, Del. - Millsboro Police Chief Brian Calloway believes implementing community policing in his department is critical to the department's success.
Calloway often walks around downtown to say hello to people in the community. It's casual conversations that Calloway says leads to building trust.
"Community policing is what you do in your community every day. That's knowing a manager at a store, knowing who works at certain places and at certain times, so that they know that we're there if we're needed. It's an investment within your agency and in your community," says Calloway.
Calloway says the department also hosts meet-and-greet events, like "coffee with a cop," and helps to fundraise for local organizations. Building trust also helps the department thoroughly investigate crime.
"Let's say, for example, there was a serious crime that happened at a local store. If we hadn't developed those relationships with management, we find that victims aren't going to be as willing to come in and discuss those issues with us, because that trust isn't there. Trust is something that takes years to develop," says Calloway.
The next Millsboro coffee with a cop event is on Oct. 4 at 8 a.m. at Beach Bound Nutrition on Centerview Dr.